Hamas: Cutting electricity to Gaza would be ‘catastrophic’

“We can’t predict how many hours people can get if the electricity is reduced”.

“In February, a United Nations watchdog group released a report showing screenshots from the Facebook pages of 40 UNRWA school employees in Gaza and other parts of the Mideast that it said ‘incite to jihadist terrorism and anti-Semitism, including by posting Holocaust-denying videos and pictures celebrating Hitler, ‘” the Times recounted.

The move has raised fears of a new upsurge in violence, with Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza having fought three wars since 2008.

Earlier in the day Hamas warned of an violent outbreak against Israel should the electricity crisis continue.

Gisha, an advocacy group pushing for increased movement of people and goods across Gaza’s borders, sent a letter to Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman warning of a severe crisis if the cuts went through.

Meanwhile, prisoners affairs expert Abd al-Nasser Farawaneh told Ma’an that the case of missing Palestinians remained unaddressed because of both Israeli and Palestinian leadership. The cut will reportedly reduce the daily average of electricity by another 45 minutes.

Israel’s decision to stop supplying electricity would be “dangerous and catastrophic”, said Hamas a spokesperson on Monday.

Israel charges the PA 40 million shekels (£8.9m) a month for electricity, deducting that from the transfers of Palestinian tax revenues it collects on behalf of the Authority.

Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the delegation has agreed with the Egyptian officials on expanding cooperation, developing ties and carrying on meetings – discussions mainly focused on the security field and had no political dimensions at all.

The forum also discussed the isolation of Qatar and the realization the situation may result in an escalation in Gaza. The Fourth Geneva Convention, governing military occupation, requires the occupier to use all means at its disposal to ensure adequate medical services, public health and other basic necessities of life. “With control comes responsibility”, she said.

“Reducing the electricity supply will have devastating consequences and greatly exacerbate the situation, which is calamitous and unstable”, the group said.

Despite Israel’s disengagement from Gaza in 2005, Gaza still receives almost all its electricity from the Israeli grid, paid for by the Palestinian Authority, which controls the West Bank.

Abbas had originally sought a 100% cut in Gaza’s electricity, but Israel refused, citing humanitarian concerns.

Late last month, Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Major General (Res.) Yoav Mordechai announced that Israel would gradually reduce its supply of electricity to the Gaza Strip in the near future, due to disagreement between the PA and Hamas on payment for the costs of electricity.